Officials declined to press

weapons charges against a McIntosh High School student who discovered

a handgun in his vehicle while working on it during auto shop class.

Further investigation revealed

that the gun belonged to the previous owner of the vehicle, said Peachtree

City Police Chief James Murray.

"There was no intent or

anything" to violate the state law forbidding such weapons on school

property, Murray said. "He had no idea it was there."

Gardner Jett, 18, was working

on the door handles of his vehicle when he found the gun in a compartment

behind the driver's side rear seat of the 1997 Ford Explorer, according

to police reports.

Jett reported the gun immediately

to his teacher, Keith Cumbie, who told him to leave the gun there and

immediately had the vehicle locked to secure the weapon, the report said.

School resource officer Alan

Reeves noted in the report that the gun "appeared to be extremely

old due to its rusted condition" and that a rust imprint on the floor

of the vehicle indicated the gun "had not been previously moved or

discovered."

Jett had purchased the vehicle

from an auto auction, according to the report.

Murray noted that school officials,

not police officers, have the final say on whether or not to press charges

in cases involving weapons on campus.

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